Venezia’s sustains loss from fireVenezia's Italian Kitchen in Russellville sustained heavy damage following a Tuesday night fire. Around 10 p.m. Tuesday, four units of Russellville firefighters responded to a structure fire at the restaurant on East Main Street. Upon arrival, the units found heavy smoke coming from the roof of the single-story building. The restaurant was closed at the time, and the firefighters reported nobody was in the building. Firefighters entered the bu...

News Briefs (April 9, 2014)Barton family in Civil War subject of PCHA meeting The Barton family in Civil War history will be the subject of the Pope County Historical Association meeting Friday at the Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center cafeteria in Russellville. No reservations are needed for the meal, which begins at 6 p.m. The meeting, at 7, is free and open to the public. REACH to hold rummage sale The REACH home school association will conduct a rummage sale from ...

Dardanelle welcomes new aldermanDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle City Council welcomed new alderman Leon Lane during its regular meeting Monday. Lane replaced alderman Scott Moore from Ward 2 because Moore is moving outside the city limits. "Considering the amount of time left, under Arkansas code, we are to appoint a replacement to serve out the unexpired term," City Attorney Ken Helton said. Moore resigned in March, and the term expires Dec. 31. The council, following state sta...

Police to crack down on distracted drivingLocal law enforcement will join a six-day national initiative to crack down on violators who text while driving. The "U Drive. U Text. U Pay." campaign, which begins Thursday and ends Tuesday, is a two-fold initiative that combines additional patrols devoted to watching for distracted drivers with a national media outreach designed to inform the public about the stepped-up patrols and the driver’s responsibility to obey the law. The Russellvil...

Commission recommends North Phoenix site for aquatic centerThe Russellville Recreation and Parks Commission approved the North Phoenix site as its first choice for the indoor aquatic center during its regular meeting Tuesday. The commission will give its recommendation to the Russellville City Council, which will make the final decision. The commission selected the L.V. Williamson Boys and Girls Club as its second choice. J.W. Stratton, commission chair, said his main priorities for the center are vis...

Bibler Bros. changes ownersAfter more than a century in business, Bibler Bros. Lumber Company in Russellville was bought out by Canada-based West Fraser Company earlier this month. Terry Freeman, Bibler Bros. owner and president, announced the sale on Tuesday. "I am excited to see our company continue to grow and prosper with the West Fraser Company," Freeman said. "West Fraser Company is impressed with the Russellville area, and I believe they will be an asset to our c...

Arkansas Tech Percussion Ensemble performs WednesdayThe Arkansas Tech Percussion Ensemble will appear in concert at Witherspoon Auditorium on Wednesday, April 9. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission will be free and open to the public. Witherspoon Auditorium is located at 407 West Q Street on the Arkansas Tech campus in Russellville. Junior Keaton Cogan of Clarksville will be featured as a soloist on "Xylophonia." Other members of the Arkansas Tech Percussion Ensemble include Taylo...

Rollover crash leaves 1 deadA Pope County man was killed in a rollover accident Monday evening, according to an Arkansas State Police accident report. Lewis N. Brooks, 53, of Russellville was traveling west on State Highway 124 around 6:30 p.m. when he drove a 2005 Chevrolet truck off the roadway into a ditch, the report states. Brooks reportedly overcorrected and went across both lanes into the opposite ditch, where the truck hit a culvert, went airborne, hit a tree and...

News Briefs (April 8, 2014)Lions Club golf tournament set The annual Red Hornick Golf Tournament, sponsored by the Atkins Lions Club, is scheduled for Saturday at the Galla Creek Golf Course at Pottsville. The four-person scramble begins with registration at 7 a.m. and play starts at 8 a.m. Registration is on the day of the event at the Galla Creek Golf Course clubhouse. Lunch is included in the entry fee. The tournament is a major fundraiser for the Atkins Lions Club, ...

New director adds splash of color to arts centerThe Arkansas River Valley Arts Center in Russellville named Amy Tarpley the new executive director. Tarpley is a longtime Russellville resident who graduated from Russellville High School (RHS) and majored in economics and finance at Arkansas Tech University. She and her husband, Blake, have two sons — Hunter, an RHS sophomore, and Alex, a third-grader at Center Valley Elementary. Tarpley said she was honored to become a part of the center's t...

Inaugural walk raises $9,000On Saturday, Arkansas Tech University will host the first Out of the Darkness walk in the Arkansas River Valley to promote awareness about suicide prevention. To date, 280 walkers have registered and more than $9,000 has been raised to support suicide prevention, education and advocacy in the community. Online registration at www.campuswalks.org is open, and participants can register the day of the walk. Registration begins at 8 a.m. The event...

Derrick's arraignment delayedApril Derrick's arraignment on a first-degree murder charge was delayed from Monday to April 14. Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons told Circuit Judge William Pearson he is still awaiting the autopsy report. He said investigators are conducting blood-spatter tests as well. Derrick's Defense Attorney, Debra Reece, agreed to the April 14 court date. Reece said Derrick is still in custody at the Pope County Jail. On March 4, Pearson set a $250,00...

RPD cites 28, educates more on railroad safetyThe Russellville Police Department (RPD) wrote 28 citations and educated people about railroad-crossing safety during its biannual railroad enforcement Thursday. RPD partnered with the Arkansas State Police and Union Pacific Railroad Company for the event. Drew Latch, RPD public information officer, said the department also got some unexpected help. “This is the most traffic we’ve ever been able to run,” Latch said. “Because of construction, w...

Ten tips to better creditOne of the few positive outcomes of the 2008 financial crisis was that it helped shine a light on the importance of understanding and staying on top of your credit profile. Along with that heightened visibility, however, has come a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding – particularly around the all-important credit score. "The consequences of not maintaining a sound credit score can be very costly," says Anthony Sprauve, senior consumer...

News Briefs (April 6, 2014)Dardanelle Chamber Community Coffee The Dardanelle Area Chamber of Commerce will host Community Coffee from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday at the Arkansas River Valley Regional Library. ‘Brass and Pipes’ concert today The Arkansas Tech University Brass Choir will present a concert entitled “Brass and Pipes” at the Central Presbyterian Church in Russellville at 2:30 p.m. today. The free performance will include appearances by Dr. Jon Clements, assistant pro...

Obituaries: Sharon HarpDANVILLE — Sharon Beth Harp, 57, of Oppelo died Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Baptist Health Medical Center. She was born Aug. 5, 1956, at Danville to the late Richard and Lois Bland Lane. She was of the Freewill Baptist Faith and loved drawing, painting, doing crossword puzzles, reading books and spending time with her family. She was preceded in death by her parents; one granddaughter, Kaylee Spivey and one sister, Selena Kitchens. Survivors ...

Obituaries: Sara ClowersSara Jean Gault Clowers, 78, of Russellville departed this life Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at the Arkansas River Valley Hospice House in Russellville. She was born Feb. 2, 1936, in Dallas, Texas, to Jesse and Ona MaeWhite Gault. She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Bobbie Sutherland and Wanda Deboard; and one brother, John Gault. Survivors include her husband, Burl Clowers; one son, Wayne Clowers of Nashville, Tenn.; one daugh...